Utah Gains Support in Public Land Fight – KSUB News Summary

Utah Gains Support For Public Lands Lawsuit

(St. George, UT) -- Utah is gaining support in its lawsuit against the federal government over control of public lands in the state. A dozen states joined Utah's effort last week with supporting arguments of asking the U.S. Supreme Court to decide if the feds can hold on to "unappropriated lands in a state indefinitely." Unappropriated lands must have a designated purpose and there are more than 18-million such acres in the Beehive State. Governor Cox argued the state is limited in what it can do when 70 percent of Utah's lands are controlled by the federal government. Among those joining Utah include Idaho, Wyoming, Alaska, and the Arizona Legislature.

Small Plane Crash Near St. George Airport Leaves Passengers Uninjured

(St. George, UT) -- A small plane crashed and caught fire near the Utah-Arizona border, with all passengers escaping with minor injuries. The pilot diverted to a remote area after struggling to maintain altitude shortly after takeoff from St. George Regional Airport. Firefighters reached the crash site, which was engulfed in flames, but the fire did not spread. The Mojave County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

High School Student Is Dead After Fall Near Gunnison

(Gunnison, UT) -- A 16-year-old North Sanpete School District student is dead after she fell near Gunnison over the weekend. The Sanpete County Sheriff's Office says they responded to a report of an accident in the White Hills area on Saturday. Emergency responders located the girl, identified by deputies and school officials as Brinley Bailey, an 11th grader. She had fallen off a steep embankment. The student was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital where she later died. Counselors, social workers and other support staff are available for any who are seeking support at North Sanpete High School.

Man Arrested After Threatening Churches in Cottonwood Heights

(Salt Lake County, UT) -- A man was taken into custody after reportedly threatening churches in Cottonwood Heights. Police say the threats were aimed at a Catholic church and meetinghouses for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Keith Barber, also known as "Troy Hire," called 9-1-1 on Sunday, stating he was outside a Catholic church with a knife and was "feeling violent towards Catholics." He fled the scene, prompting police to issue an "Attempt To Locate." Authorities later confirmed his arrest in Lyman, Wyoming. Barber was reportedly experiencing an "unknown mental crisis."

TechRidge Shows Off Container Offices

(St. George, UT) -- St. George is showing off new offices at TechRidge. Officials gathered Friday for an unveiling and open house of three new offices made out of cargo containers, which Mayor Michele Randall said "turned out so well." Zonos is taking over two of the containers while the third will house AlignOps. They are each two stories tall and have a courtyard in the middle.